Koh Samui is leading the way as the preferred destination for Thailand’s Songkran festival next month, driven by the popularity of the TV series “The White Lotus,” a government spokesperson announced on Wednesday.
Situated in the southern province of Surat Thani, the island resort has experienced a 65% increase in foreign tourist bookings for the period between April 10 and 17, according to Anukool Pruksanusak, who referenced data from SiteMinder, a hotel booking technology company.
Samui has become the top choice for long-staying foreign tourists during the Songkran holidays, Mr. Anukool noted, with the average duration of stay increasing to 3.8 nights, up from 3.74 nights.
The recent season of “The White Lotus” has significantly boosted international interest in Koh Samui since its debut in mid-February.
Direct online reservations at the three Anantara resorts, operated by Bangkok’s Minor International, surged by 41% in mid-February compared to the previous year, while website traffic also more than doubled during that period, as stated by founder and chairman Bill Heinecke.
Hotel bookings in Chiang Mai by foreign visitors have risen by 41%, and Bangkok has observed a 20% increase in reservations for the Songkran period, Mr. Anukool reported.
The government anticipates that the Songkran festival, renowned for its public water fights, will generate approximately 20 billion baht in tourism revenue, he added.
Since the beginning of 2025, Thailand has welcomed 8.9 million tourists, a 2.9% increase over the previous year, contributing 435 billion baht in revenue, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Tourism significantly contributes to Thailand’s economy, representing about 12% of the GDP and employing nearly 20% of the workforce.
